For Thought and Meditation - Wednesday, October 20
Good morning all. Today's message and verse from Matthew really hit home for me. Have a safe and blessed day.
Wednesday, October 20, 2021 - Pastor Greg Laurie
Storm Tossed
“But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.”
—Matthew 14:24
Storms will come into our lives as Christians—and they come in the form of calamities, hardships, medical issues, marital problems, legal issues, and more. There are three kinds of storms we’ll face: perfecting storms, protecting storms, and correcting storms.
When God allows hardship in your life to make you stronger spiritually, that’s a perfecting storm. It’s what Job went through. The Bible tells us how to face this kind of storm: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (James 1:2 NKJV).
Next, there are protecting storms. That’s the type of storm the disciples experienced when they were on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had just performed His most popular miracle to date, the feeding of the five thousand. But He essentially told his disciples, “Get into the boat. We’re getting out of here.”
Then Matthew tells us, “But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary” (14:24 NKJV).
Jesus had delivered His disciples from what would have been a great deal of adulation, which would have created a lot of problems. As a result, they endured a protecting storm.
Lastly, correcting storms are what we effectively bring upon ourselves as we reap the consequences of our actions. Jonah was in a correcting storm, and he brought it upon himself by disobeying the Lord. As a result, he spent three days and three nights in the belly of a massive fish.
Maybe you’re in a storm right now. Here’s the good news about storms: they have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Maybe your storm has been raging for a while. But you know what? You might be at the end of it. So don’t give up. Don’t lose hope.
